COLCHIC Chemical Exposure Database: Information on Lead and Formaldehyde

Abstract

The COLCHIC database collects information on chemical exposures from nine regional branches. The management of the sampling and analysis activity is done at the regional level and carried through to the editing of the results. All information related to the analytical results is fed to the database. This information concerns three main topics:

1. the factory and the workplace (why was the sampling performed?);

2. the sampling process, the analytical results; and

3. a qualitative assessment of the ventilation system used.

The major pollutants are all represented in the database, the atmospheric levels of which are measured using homogeneous sampling techniques and analytical methods which are well known and yield reliable results. However, different sampling strategies were used depending on the objectives of the relevant studies.

The procedure for retrieval of information from the database is important, and special attention must be focused on testing the data's integrity using different means. The bulk file of results should be treated using different apuration techniques to create a file containing reliable information on the pollution of the workplaces. The discussion presented here on this point offers certain indications for the implementation of the database, and definition of the so-called core information.

It is eventually possible to identify the activities or workplaces where priority should be given to further prevention work, and where on-the-job exposures should be better documented. Two examples, lead and formaldehyde, are presented. Carton, B.: COLCHIC Chemical Exposure Database: Information on Lead and Formaldehyde. Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 10(4):345-350; 1995.